URGENT - betta is dying

[mel_20_20]

Free input... I mean... my Vet will answer questions thru the vet tech for me... one time I called about some frogs my sister had in her pond...:frog:

Side note: I called the company headquarters of Kordon, makers of Amquel, Amquel Plus, Kordon Ich Attack, etc., to ask a technical question about their product today, and when I asked the person who answered the phone she said "I really don't know the answer to that, but if you call back tomorrow around 10:30Pacific you can speak to Dr...." (Somebody I forgot what she called him), but anyway she said he's their marine biologist.

She said just call back with the question and they will transfer me to him.

Sooo, If I'm going to be able to speak to the chief research marine biologist at this company, then while I have him on the phone, I'm going to ask him about your Betta; tell him I have a friend with a Betta that is sick,
and see if he can offer some helpful suggestion, or maybe give us a clue as to what's going on with him.

Bettas may not be his specialty, but I bet he will be as likely, as anyone we can ask, to know something about your Betta's s condition, and hopefully have some idea how to help him.

 

[SchizotypalVamp]

Lack of oxygen doesn't make sense. Not only would the filter create enough current, bettas rely primarily on their labyrinth organ, which takes oxygen from the air. I have no idea what's wrong, though. I hope he makes it.

 

[laurabb]

Sooo, If I'm going to be able to speak to the chief research marine biologist at this company, then while I have him on the phone, I'm going to ask him about your Betta; tell him I have a friend with a Betta that is sick,
and see if he can offer some helpful suggestion, or maybe give us a clue as to what's going on with him.

Thanks - that's nice of you!

I don't think a lack of oxygen is the problem anymore either, or at least not anymore. I think last week I did have the water level too high, and perhaps lack of oxygen was a problem initially.

Anyway, he's hanging in there, although still sluggish compared to how he had been when healthy. Gills still working very hard. I'm finding the smallest bits of bloodworms to feed him since he can't eat pellets anymore, and can't grab onto/swallow larger bloodworms either. I'm concerned about constipation, though, if he can only eat bloodworms (he won't eat flakes). How many times a week should I feed him a pea if he's on a bloodworm exclusive diet?

 

[Neervana]

cant you add an airstone to his tank, just a little more agitation...just to see if that helps take the stress off him breathing so hard.

 

[cptkd]

Hi Laura -
Though I know nothing about Bettas, I've read all the replies here and well, I'm with everyone in the "support" group!
I hope your Betta pulls through and returns to his old self again soon!
I completely understand the feelings you're going through - That helpless feeling that overcomes you as you rack your brain at "what to do"!
I experienced a similar situation with one of my corys a while ago. Though I lost him, I'll never forget the feeling of desperation with trying to help him -
I mean it's not like I could take him out, cuddle him and nurse him back with love! Though I so wanted to, unfortunately with fish as "pets" it doesn't work that way...

Anyways, my thoughts are with you and I send best wishes for a speedy recovery!

KD

 

[cptkd]

Seems you're not the only one with this problem -
Now there's another post with Betta trouble, and they're sounding rather similar to yours...

KD

 

[laurabb]

Well, he's hanging in there. He seems to have a bit more of an appetite, although he still can't really open his mouth much. He also has this little bulge on his abdomen about where his gills are, but I can't get a picture. It's tan colored, and isn't something hanging, so I don't think it's parasites. It's been there for nearly a week now.

Since he can only get down very small/thin pieces of bloodworm, I think I should feed him peas to prevent constipation. Anybody know how often it's OK to feed a betta peas? Couple times a week?

 

[sphex]

Hi Laurabb-
If he's not eating much, I don't think you have to worry about constipation, and thus about peas. They're good if you have a bloated betta who can't..ummm.. do #2. But if he's not eating, there is nothing for him to process.
My bettas have comfortably gone over a week without eating (when I was on vacation), and I've read they can go for months- so you don't have to worry about him starving.
I'm still relatively new to all this myself, so I on't have any brilliant advice (sorry!), but I wanted to let you know I'm following your story, and I *can* say it sounds like you're an amazing fish owner. I hope your betta buddy pulls through.

 

[mel_20_20]

I spoke to the research marine biologist at Novalek/Kordon. I asked about the product I had a question about, and then asked him about your Betta.

Dr. Rofen (pronounced Rowfane, a french guy) said it sounds like a bacterial infection affecting the throat and/or mouth. Would make it difficult to swallow and could make him hold his mouth in a strange open way.

He said it would probably be a good idea to use one of the antibacterial medicines that are available, and continue to feed small bits as you have been doing.

Betta Melafix or one of the antibacterial medicines out there. Clean water imperative, which I told him was being taken care of. He said there are so many possible pathogens or parasites, but he said it is most probably something in the mouth or throat area such as bacterial infection or parasit.

Tetracycline or Kanamycin or Ampicillin found at most good pet stores, even without a definite diagnosis, could be beneficial. There's no sign of fuzziness which indicates a fungus, otherwise a fungicidal medicine would be needed.

I hope this helps. The doc said if you have a really good fish pet store that caters to aquariums, ask when their expert will be there, you could bag him and take him in to be looked at. They will do that for free, and might be able to make a diagnosis based on his appearance, but at the least, an antibacterial couldn't hurt.

 

[mel_20_20]

He also mentioned that there could possibly be a parasite in his mouth or throat. He likes their Ich Attack, which is organic and is so mild it won't hurt inverts, for parasitic infestations, but there's no sure way to know if that's what it is. He said it's good as both a treatment and preventative. Go to Novalek.com and click on the tab at the top that says "Kordon" and has a fish on the tab (think it's second from left) and then scroll down to "products", and also "articles" for info on diseases. There are also links for informational websites re: fish diseases.